"Harsh Training Starting at Age 14" – CNN Exposes the Truth Behind the K-POP Idol Industry

CNN’s new special program, “K-Pop: A Star is Made,” sheds light on the competitive and commercial aspects of the K-POP idol industry. Airing on CNN at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on the 5th, this one-hour special is hosted by CNN senior investigative reporter Kyung Lah and follows seven trainees preparing for auditions at a renowned idol group in Seoul. According to the special, the trainees range in age from 14 to 20, all physically attractive but under extreme stress. Kyung Lah said, “It’s still shocking to me that my native language is being streamed in the United States as part of a multi-billion dollar industry.” She added, “Through this hour-long program, I want to show how this phenomenon came about by highlighting the struggles faced by K-POP trainees.” The program explores the intensity of the trainees’ vocal training, dance training, and fitness workouts. They endure extreme diet control, pressure to undergo plastic surgery, and an obsessive focus on maintaining their appearance. Singer Amer Liu and Min, who appear as voice guests, along with YouTube personality Megan Moon, testify about the international influence of the K-POP industry and the controversies surrounding it. Paul Thompson, an American who is the founder and CEO of K-POP company MZMC, explained, “After conducting thousands of auditions, only about 30 people were selected as official trainees, but now only seven remain after failing monthly evaluations.” The harshness of the K-POP industry extends beyond mere training. The film “Time to Be Strong” depicts a journey of recovery from this industry. It is the second feature film by director Namgung Sun, who won the Grand Prize and Best Actor award at the Jeonju International Film Festival in May. The film was commissioned and produced by the National Human Rights Commission. It follows the stories of three former idols who go to Jeju Island. The protagonists include a former girl group leader named Sumin, portrayed by Choi Sung-eun, who suffers from anorexia; a former member of the same group named Sarang, played by Ha Seo-yoon, who struggles with mental illness; and a former boy band member named Hyunji, played by Hyunwoo, who is burdened by debt. Having gone bankrupt due to settlement payments from a restaurant fight, they work in local orange orchards while confronting their own traumas. While the film highlights problematic practices in the K-POP industry such as “slave contract” culture, forced excessive physical exposure, and implied sexual abuse, it focuses more on personal wounds and healing rather than criticizing the system outright. Choi Sung-eun’s delicate acting delivers a profound portrayal of Sumin’s psychology, showing how the obsession with perfection manifests as an eating disorder. Through the everyday scenes of Jeju and its low-budget aesthetic, the film effectively illustrates how unfamiliar normal life is for young people trapped by the industry’s inhumane demands. The film strikes a balance between bold social criticism and empathy for individual suffering, ultimately offering hope for recovery.